Mail-bag catching and delivering device.



PATENTED 111N321, 1904.

' J. SWIHART.

MAIL BAG GATGHING AND DELIVERING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 26. 1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

' NO MODEL.

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No. 763,078. 7 PATENTED JUNE 21, 1904.

' J. SWI HART.

MAILBAG GATGHING AND DELIVERING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 2a. 1903. no MODEL. 2 snnn'rs-snnnr 2.

JA MES SWJHAHZ' WITNESSES: INVENTOR.

a I I ATTORNEY.

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UNITED STATES Patented June 21, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES SWIHART, OF NEW- LEBANONJOHIO.

MAIL-BAG CATCHING AND DELIVERING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 763,078, dated June 21, 1904. Application filed September 26, 1903. Serial No, 174,746- v(No model.) i

T 0 all whom 21 may concern:

Be it known that I, J AMEs SWIHART, a citizen of the United States, residing in New Lebanon, in the county of Montgomery, and in the State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in iWaiLBag. Catching and Delivering Devices, of which the following is a full, clear, lucid, and exact specification, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This present invention relates to posta equipment, and more particularly to mechanisms for delivering mail to and receiving mail from a moving train or postal car expeditiously and with certainty and precision and with the two operations simultaneously accomplished.

In addition to the above another object of my invention is to provide a construction for the purpose stated which will be simple in construction, positive in action, easily operated and controlled, and which can be manufactured at a comparatively low price.

A further object is to provide mechanisms of the character stated composed of a minimum of component interdependent and cooperating parts of resistant material to produce commensurate results for the better adaption of the work to be performed thereby and the mitigation of the labor of the personnel, while at the same time performing the work accurately and with a material saving in time and expense, and, finally, another object of my invention is to provide a combination of tested instrumentalities which will be compact in form and construction, easy and inexpensiveof maintenance, and to generally improve and simplify the construction and operation of devices of this general character.

Other specific objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following detail description and from an inspection of the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

My improvements are fully illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows an elevation of my invention in a direction parallel to the railwaytrack, together with a cross-section of a mailcar and the railway-track. Fig. .2 is a side elevation of one of the bag-holding devices. Fig. 3 is a top plan of same. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective of the securing device for the delivering-lever. Fig. 5 is a detail side elevation of the delivering-lever. Fig. 6 is a top plan of my improvements entire. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of my delivering-receptacle, and Fig. 8 isa detail of the bag-holding link.

Similar reference characters denote like parts throughout the several views of the drawings, which occupy two separate sheets.

In patents heretofore issued to me to wit: No. 611,801, dated October 4, 1898, entitled Mail-bag holder, and No. 713,362, dated November 11, 1902, entitled Mail-bag-delivering device -I have set out at large and claimed the improvements in general constituting the basic principles of my present invention. As the present invention is subordinate to said patents and addressed to a combination of the principles thereof and assumes for its practical success some of the earlier stages thereof, 1 will. herein confine myself more particularly to the improvements over and the combination of the points covered by said patents.

This specification is confined to the mechanical improvements which I have effected with reference to the making of a mail-bag catching and delivering device, attempting as near as possible to fulfil the requirements desired by the United States Post-Office Department.

I will now take up the description of my invention, describing the various improvements and their operation in detail, which I will refer to as briefly and compactly as I may.

Referring to the drawings in detail. the letter A denotes the interior of a mail-car; A,

the roof; A, the floor, and a the side door thereof. The car is mounted on wheels in the usual manner and movable on rails B, as indicated at one point. The rails are secured to the ties O, and at least two of'the'ties should extend some distance out from the track for the support of my delivering device hereinafter described.

The letter Dd enotes an arm removable from and pivoted to the side of the car in the usual manner and of a construction now in common use, movable by the handle D, by which it may be swung out horizontally, as in Figs. 1 and 6, or allowed to hang down parallel with the car or entirely removed, if desired. Some distance below said catching-lever and to one side of the door I form an aperture through the Wall of the car, in which I fit the mouth member 1, which has integral thereof the plate 2 with a horizontal slot therethrough, as shown in Fig. 4. On the outside of the car just above said aperture is a hanger 3, some distance below which is a similar hanger 4. each of said hangers having projections with vertical holes therethrough to receive the vertical bar 5. The bar 5 is revolubly supported in said holes by the collet 6, secured thereto and adapted to contact with the upper face of the hanger 4, as in Fig. 1. The upper end of the bar 5 projects above the hanger 3, with a coil-spring 7 surrounding said projection. The upper end of the spring 7 is secured tothe rod 5 and the lower end to the hanger 3.

Extending out at right angles from the bar 5 is the arm 8, which is permanently secured to the bar 5 opposite said aperture in the side of the car and below the hanger 3. Connecting the arm 8 and the bar 5 is an angularlydisposed brace 9, by which said arm is supported, as shown.

On the outer end of the arm 8 is bolted a circular plate 10, having the inwardly-projecting lug 10, which rises higher than the surface of the plate 10, with a bolt 11 passing vertically and centrally therethrough and also through the outer portion of the arm 8, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The bolt 12 passes centrally and vertically through the plate 10, with a spring-washer 13 on the under side of the arm 8, as shown. Integral of and rising from the outer edge of the face of the plate 10 are the two stops 10", as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Pivoted on the plate 10 by the bolt 12 is a finger 14, which extends outward over the face of said plate, then downward the thickness of said plate, and then outward, terminating in a point or outer portion, as shown in the drawings. Rising from the finger let somedistance in from the extreme point thereof is a small lug 10 whose height is slightly less than said offset in the finger 14. Extending out over the lug 10 and the finger 14; above the plate 10 and secured by the bolts 11 and 12 is a spring-plate 15, whose outer portion is curved down, touching the outer end of the point of the finger 14:, as in Fig. 2,

and withoppositely-disposed projections extending to the right, and left therefrom, as in l Fig. 3. The outer end of the spring-plate 15 is adapted to be sprung away from the point of the finger 14, but to normally contact therewith, as shown.

On the side of the arm 8 next the door of the car and some distance out from the bar 5 is a hanger 16, to which is pivoted the outer end of the bar 17 for horizontal movement.

The bar 17 is of a thickness substantially the same as the thickness of the wall of the car, and on the inner end of the bar 17 is pivoted the arm 18, having on its inner end the handhold 19. Said arm 18 is adapted to slide in and out through said aperture in the side of the car and through the slot in the plate 2.

Located at the side of the railway is a receptacle, preferably rising from and secured to the extensions of the ties C and consisting of the two parallel sides E E, disposed parallel with the track B and having the ends F F all secured together in a substantial manner and provided with a bottom or fioor either level with or above the base of the receptacle. The ends F F extend up from the base a little less than half the distance of the height of the receptacle, as shown in Fig. 1, and in one of the sides of the receptacle an opening G may-be formedlby which access may be obtained to the interior of the receptacle. From the upper edge of each of the ends F F a partition should extend inward and downward to the base or to the floor or false bottom, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 7. Extending across from sidev to side of the receptacle, resting on the top thereof and covering approximately one-third of the top of the receptacle, is a platform 20, as shown in Figs. 1, 6, and 7. On the center portions of the edges of said platform 20 are rubber contacts 21, as shown and for the purpose hereinafter appearing. Extending across the interior of the receptacle, extending from the edges of the platform20 downward and toward the center,

are the two converging partitions H H, as

shown in Fig. 7 which meet at a point above the level of the ends F F, also as shown in Fig. 7. Y

The post 22 for supporting the catching device should rest on and be secured to a tie C some distance in the rear and central of said receptacle and then extend upward and inward at an angle, touching and secured to the upper edge of the rear side of the receptacle by a bolt or the like, and then extending on upward and inward, as shown in Fig. 1. Pen manently securedon each side of the upper end of. the post 22 are identical inverted- L-shaped plates 23 23, which extend above 7 and rearward from the post 22, as in Fig. 1. Through the rear extensions of the plates 23 23 are horizontal oppositely-disposed holes to receive a pivotal bolt or pin 24:.

The numeral 25 denotes an arm pivotally mounted by the bolt or pin 24: on the upper tending inward are a pair of plates 1, (only one of which appears in the drawings,) between which is secured the block 26. Secured on each side of the block 26 and extending inward are a pair of plates 27 (only one of which appears in the drawings,) through the free ends of which are oppositely-disposed horizontal holes to receive the bolt or pin J. Mounted between the plates 27 by the pin J is the block-finger 28, pivoted to stand horizontal or to be turned up, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 1.

The numeral 29 denotes a pair of bars (only one of which appears in the drawings) of identical construction set at an angle, pivoted at their lower ends to either side of the blockfinger 28 and at their upper ends to the sides of the arm 25 forward of the pivotal point of the latter by the bolt K.which passes through the arm 25. The openings in the upper portions of the bars 29 for the bolt K are longitudinal slots, (represented by the letter L,) whereby said bars 29 may be lengthened or shortened.

' Secured to the inner end on the upper face of the arm 25 and projecting toward the car is a sack-holding device M, and secured to the inner end and on the under face of the block 28 and projecting toward the car is a sackholding device N, similar to the above, but oppositely disposed. Said sack-holding devices are shown and specifically described in my patent on Mail-bag holder, No .611,801', dated October 4, 1898. If desired, the construction of the holders M and N may be substantially the same as the holder above described as shown attached to the outer end of the arm 8.

The numeral 30 represents a link having a relatively long shank expanding into an upper portion having a round eye therethrough and also expanding into a lower portion having a square eye therethrough, as shown in Fig. 8. The link 30 is intended to be detachably secured to the end of the mail-bag P by a strap or the like passing through the square eye thereof, and the round eye of the link is adapted to pass over the point of the finger 1tby lifting up the outer end of the spring 15 and disposing it as shown in Fig. 1.

Theletter P denotes the mail-bag to be delivered from the train or car to the receptacle, while D represents the mail-bag to be caught by the swinging arm of the mail-car, the lat-' ter being suspended between the holders M and N, as in Fig. 1.

Integral of and extending down from the arm 18 are two lugs Q, and R, with a spacetherebetween to receive the lower edge of the slot of the plate 2, and said lugs are located on the arm 18 at a distance such that when the arm 8 is extended out at right angles from the car that the said lugs will straddle said plate, as in the positions shown in Figs; 1 and 6. The outer edge of the lug Q, is beveled, as shown in Fig. 5, in order that as the arm 18 is pushed out the said bevel will cause the arm 18 to raise and allow the lug 1 to pass overv Fig. 1, while the arm I is turned back against the side of the car with the arm 18 hanging down within the car. as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1. Before the arrival of the car a person may ascend to the platform 20 and move the arm 25 to a horizontal position and connect one end of the bag 0 in the holder M and. the lower end thereof in the holder N, which will suspend the bag 0 in the position shown-in Fig. 1, and by reason of the arm 25 being pivoted to describe a larger segment of a circle than is the finger 28 and also by reason of the weight of the mail-bag and its contents the device will be retained in the position shown. Before arriving at the receptacle the mail-clerk in the car will prepare the bag P, connecting to one end the link 30, as stated,

and will then hang the bag P on the finger.

14, as stated and as shown in Fig. 1. The arm 8 beingextended and looked as shown and described, the two bags are ready to be ex- 7 changed. The exchange of the bags is ac-' complished by the movement of the car passing in either direction and without manual supervision. As the car passes the point of exchange the arm D will catch the bag 0 in the manner described in the above-named patent, and the arm 25 being released the holders M and N will immediately be turned back out of the way, and substantially synchronously with the above or just before or after the catching of the bag 0 by the arm D the link 30 will strike the rubber contact 21, causing the finger 1 to turn on the bolt 12, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 3, thus allowing the link to slide off the point of the finger 14 and be released, and by its momentum the bag P will strike one'side of the converging partition H and be conducted to the bottom of the receptacle at angles tend-ing to break the sudden contact with stationary objects. By raising the handheld 19 the spring 7 will return and hold the arm 8 against the side of the car, and the arm 18, dropping down by gravity parallel with the wall of and inside the car, will lock the device until again desired for use. parts my object has been as nearly as possible to reduce the operations to automata.

My invention herein described although embodying many parts is simple and durable in construction and operation and accurate in the accomplishment of its objects, while every contingency liable to occur in its operation is carefully and amply provided for that the chances for error are practically m'l.

From the above description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. it will be apparent that I have produced improvements in mail-bag catching and delivering devices embodying the objects otherwhere referred to in this specification.

While I have illustrated and described the best means now known to me for carrying out my invention, 1 wish it to be understood that I do not restrict myself to the exact details of construction shown and described, but hold that any slight changes or variations in such details as would suggest themselves to the ordinary mechanic would clearly fall within the limit and scope of my invention.

The terms in, out, right, left, vertically, horizontally, and other similar terms are used for convenience of description only, and it is not intended by the use of such terms to limit the arrangement and operation of the several parts to the precise positions indicated.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, 1s

1. In a mail-bag catching and delivering d evice, the combination with a mail-car having a side door and an aperture through the wall of the car at one side of the door, of a vertical bar pivoted to the side of the car, an arm extending out at right angles from said bar, a brace extending at an angle from said bar to said arm, a spring surrounding a portion of said bar with one end secured to said bar and the other to one of the hangers of the said bar, a bar 17 pivoted to the side of said arm and of a length to extend through said aperture in the wall of the car, an arm 18 pivoted to said bar 17 and adapted to pass through a slot in the plate 2, the plate 2 fitted on-the inside of the car over said aperture, a pair of lugs on the under Side of the arm 18 adapted to straddle the thickness of said plate, a finger pivoted on the outer end of the arm 8 with a fiat spring extending over and touching the point of said finger, a link adapted to be suspended from said finger for supportinga mail- In the arrangement of said bag therefrom, a receptacle-located at the side of the track, means for removing said bag and the link from said linger by the movement of the car, and means for catching a second mailbag suspended from above said receptacle, all substantially as shown and described.

2. In a mail-bag catching and delivering device, the combination with a mail-car having a side door, an aperture through the wall of the car at one side of said door, and a device for catching a mail-bag located on the other side of the door, of a vertical bar pivoted to side of the car near said aperture, an arm integral with and extending out at right angles from said bar, a brace integral with said bar and arm and extending at an angle therebetween, a spring for normally retaining said arm parallel with the car, a bar pivoted to the side of said arm and adapted to extend through said aperture in the car, means for moving said arm from within the car and for locking it extended or in its position parallel with the car, means secured on the outer end of said arm, for detachabl y suspending a mailbag therefrom, a mail-bag receptacle permanently located near the track, a platform extending across the top of said receptacle at a height somewhat below said arm on the car and providing means for engaging a mail-bag suspended by said arm on the car, a post extending up at any angle from the rear of and above said receptacle, and means for suspending a mail-bag from said post above said receptacle to be caught by said catching device on the car, all substantially as shown and described.

3. A mail-bag catching and delivering device, the combination, a receptacle permanently located at the side of a railway and consisting of the two sides parallel with the railway and. having ends of a height less than the said sides, a platform across the center of the top of the receptacle and extending between said sides, converging partitions extending down some distance from the edges of said platform, a post secured in the rear of and extending at an angle over and above the center of said receptacle, means secured to the upper end of said post for detachably suspending a mailbag therefrom, means secured to said post below said suspending means for detachably securing the lower end of a mail-bag, means'located on a car for engaging and removing a mail-bag supported by said post, and means located on a car for holding out a mail-bag to be disengaged therefrom by the edge of said platform of the receptacle, all substantially as shown and described.

4. A mail-bag catching and delivering device, the combination with a railway, a mailcar movable on the railway, a door in the side of the car, a mail-.bag-catching device located at the side of the door, and an aperture through the Wall of the car near said door, of the mailbag-suspending device located at the side of the door with means for its operation from within the car, a receptacle permanently located at the side of the railway for disengaging and receiving therein a mail-bag from said suspending device of the car, a post secured to the rear of said receptacle and having arms extending toward the railway, devices secured on the ends of said arms of the post for holding amail-bag in suspension, and means for automatically turning back said arms and the devices secured thereto after the mail-bag has been disengaged therefrom, all substantially as shown and described and for the purposes 5 set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES SlVIHART.

'Witnesses:

R. W. RANDLE, R. E. RANDLE. 

